CFR Cluj 0 – 0 CSKA Sofia
In their first match without manager Dan Petrescu on the technical bench in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League match, CFR Cluj struggled to find a path towards victory. CSKA Sofia attacked incessantly at the Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu, but the fixture ended goalless with the points shared.
The Cluj team was led from the bench by Marius Bilaşco, who is acting manager after Dan Petrescu, who led Cluj to three domestic titles left the club on Monday, November 30. They were reduced to 10 men when Alexandru Chipciu received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 85th minute. But they managed to salvage a draw to keep their Europa hopes alive.
They were also helped by group leaders AS Roma who beat the second-placed side Young Boys 3-1. This means Cluj can go to face Young Boys in Switzerland knowing they still stand a chance of reaching the knockout stages.
Their qualification rests in their hands. They need a victory in that last group tie on Thursday, December 10 to move up to eight points and deny Young Boys, who currently are on seven points, qualification.
AS Roma 3 – 1 Young Boys
Riccardo Calafiori was Man-of-the-Match in the Roma Vs Young Boys tie at the Stadio Olimpico as he scored the second goal and was influential to the victory for the Italian side. Borja Mayoral scored in the first half and Edwin Dzeko wrapped up the scoring in the 81st minute.
The visitors finished the match with 10 men after a red card was issued to centre back Mohamed Aly Kamara in the 83rd minute. By that time, Young Boys were already down by three goals to one after they had opened the scoring through striker Jean Pierre Nsame in the the 34th minute.
The win keeps Roma comfortably in first place with 13 points, enough to go into the last 16 on top the group regardless of the results from the remaining group fixture.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
